Kasper Dolberg: Who is the Danish super striker on loan at Hoffenheim?
Hoffenheim have signed Denmark international Kasper Dolberg on loan until the end of the season. bundesliga.com profiles the Nice-owned forward...
Kasper Dolberg
Age: 25
Club: Hoffenheim (on loan from Nice)
Position: Forward
Country: Denmark (40 caps/ 11 goals)
Key stats
Dolberg made his professional debut with Silkeborg in Denmark, before switching to Ajax at the age of 17. Five goals in 18 appearances for the 2016 title-winning U19s were a sign of things to come. After scoring on his debut for the record Duch champions in UEFA Champions League qualifying, the 6'1" forward went on to make a further 47 competititive appearances in 2016/17, producing 23 goals and eight assists, whilst collecting a UEFA Europa League runners-up medal.
Dolberg left for Nice in summer 2019 as a Eredivisie, Dutch Cup and Supercup winner, and with some 45 goals and 16 assists in 119 games to his name. In 85 matches for parent club Nice, he has had a direct hand in 31 goals. The 40-time Denmark international moves to Hoffenheim via an eight-game loan spell with Sevilla, and having helped his country reach the UEFA Euro 2020 semi-finals, as well as the last two World Cups.
Plays a bit like: Dennis Bergkamp
A tall and cultured right-footed striker with fabulous technique and a swift turn of pace, Dolberg has been likened to Dennis Bergkamp. Given it was the legendary Arsenal forward who was tasked with training Dolberg at Ajax, it's little wonder some of his magic rubbed off.
"When Kasper came to Ajax, he was a left winger," recalled ex-Denmark international Jens Steffensen, Dolberg's former agent. "But the club thought he could be a fantastic No.9, so Bergkamp was made his personal trainer and we have seen the results ever since."
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Did you know?
Dolberg had been invited to attend a trial with Bundesliga club Wolfsburg, before John Steen Olsen - Ajax's acclaimed Scandinavian scout, who is credited with unearthing Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Christian Eriksen - intervened to plot the then teenager's course to the Netherlands.
What they're saying
"Kasper is a centre-forward, who is dynamic, has a good feel for the ball, is physical and a good finisher." - Hoffenheim sporting director Alexander Rosen
"Who doesn't know Kasper Dolberg? He's a fantastic player with a great future ahead of him." - Jürgen Klopp, speaking in 2017
"Kasper has a natural instinct going forward, but is not a selfish player. He's also very calm; he believes so much in himself." - Steffensen
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